I did not mean to say that it LOOKS the same, nor was I saying that the effect was the same.   What I tried to say is that the MESSAGE given in earlier movies tried to glorify and justify war even more than these so-called video games.

How many kids in years past wanted to be Audie Murphy or John Wayne storming a hill and killing all the bad guys?   What about role models like James Cagney or John Garfield who let their fists do the talking?

I guess what I am trying to say is that this "sky is falling" mentality that seems to creep out whenver some mainstream media has a slow news day and decides to target violence in video games is simply short-sighted.   I'm not advocating violent games, but I do think that this is less of a problem then people make them out to be.

Sure, the shooter and Virginia Tech and the students at Columbine are going to be brought out as examples of people who supposedly were "influuenced" by video games. The Virginia Tech shooter also made comparisions to himself and Christ in his rambling notes, but I don't see anyone crying out that the bible should be banned on campus.

I'm sorry, but I think people are looking for a quick fix and focusing on video games as the culprit. There are deeper issues that are at work and it is impossible to pin it on a video game. Society has changed for many reasons and people have changed accordingly.   We need to fix things, but I think we focus on the wrong issues when we try to find a scapegoat like violent games.